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This paper examines the size-age structure, growth and genetic polymorphism of the sterlet population of the Mologa River, Vologda Oblast, formed during reacclimatization measures. The introduction of sterlet into the Mologa River began in 2016, and since 2018 it has been found in research catches. In the channel medial sections of the river, the proportion of sterlet in total catches ranged from 31.4% to 49.3% in numbers and from 26.0% to 64.0% in biomass. In 2022, the catches included fish with a length of 22–51 cm and a weight of 64–958 g of five age groups. The size, weight and age composition of the emerging population is currently determined by the number of juvenile sterlet released in individual years. Mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed 23 different mtDNA haplotypes and low relative haplotype diversity. The level of observed nuclear DNA heterozygosity averaged 0.567 with a range from 0.149 to 0.871. Genetic heterogeneity of individuals in the emerging population of sterlet from the Mologa River is sufficient for the local population of a river.

Chronic hepatitis C remains one of the most urgent problems of today's medicine. The review unravels the current view of the role of a single nucleotide polymorphism of the interleukin-28B (IL-28B) gene in different aspects of hepatitis C virus infection. Major attention is paid to the discussion of the value of the allelic variants of IL-28B during standard double and current triple antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Furthermore, the paper covers the biological role of interferon-lambda, a product of IL-28A, B, and IL-29 gene expression, other associations of the allelic variants of the IL-28B gene with different clinical signs, as well as the possibilities of practical use of this genetic marker in chronic hepatitis C today and futures prospects.

The paper presents allele frequencies at 15 STR loci (D3S1358, vWA, FGA, TH01, TPOX, CSFIPO, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D16S539, D2Sl338, D8S1179, D21S1l, D18S51, D19S433), used in forensic medicine, in Russian sample (n = 176) representing population of the European part of the Russian Federation. The combined power of discrimination (PD) and the combined power of exclusion (PE) for the 15 STR loci were 0.999 999 999 999 999 986 and 0.999 999 331 310 171 000, respectively. The data obtained for allele and genotype frequencies conformed to Hardy-Weinberg expectations. According to the presented data, loci D2S1338, D18S51, D21Sll and FGA are the most informative markers for Russians. The data obtained may be used as reference database for forensic medicine laboratories in Russian Federation.

Expression of Mdh1 alleles has been studied in 60 apozygotic (agamospermic) sugar beet progenies. Seed progenies were obtained by uniparental (pollen less) mode of seed reproduction: selfing of pollen-sterile plants isolated with paper bags. The apozygotic seed progenies demonstrate a disomic gamete autosegregation, i.e., the ratio between genotypes in the progenies correspond to the gamete segregation in a duplex heterozygote of an autotetraploid. It was shown that the ratio between the Mdh1 phenotypes in apozygotic progenies is strongly affected by spontaneous inactivation of one of the alleles. In most progenies, the excess of FF phenotypes and the deficit of SS phenotypes were observed. In our opinion, such deviations in genotype and phenotype frequencies result from conversion of the active Mdh1-S into the inactive Mdh1-S0 allele (epigenetic gene inactivation). The spontaneous inactivation of one allele results in extremely variable frequencies of heterozygous Mdh1-F/Mdh1-S genotypes and phenotypes in the apozygotic seed progenies. The empirical distribution of the frequencies of heterozygous genotypes in the apozygotic seed progenies is given by a negative binomial distribution describing the expected time of occurrence of random events.

A new method for identification of R408W mutation common in phenylketonuria (PKU) patients in Russia and Eastern Europe is presented. The method is based on restriction of amplified exon 12. Amplification was achieved by PCR and was followed by restriction with StyI endonuclease. This enzyme specifically recognized allele R408W (C-T change in the position 1444 of the PAH gene) but not the normal allele. The method is easily reproduced both in DNA samples and in blood spots on the blotting paper (Gathrie cards) as well as in native cells from chorionic villi samples and amniocytes without preliminary DNA extraction. The method is very reliable and quick and has obvious advantages over other methods (ASO, ARMS) routinely used for identification of R408W mutation in the PKU high risk families.

It was found earlier that the effect of the uvrE- mutation on the yield of recombinants formed via RecF pathway of recombination was mainly due to the decreased viability of the recB-C-sbcB-uvrE- recipient. The results of the present paper show the uvrE- and recL- mutations reduce the recipient ability of the recB-C- sbcB- strains to the same extent. We were unable to find any evidence for complementation between the recL- and uvrE- mutations in transient as well as in stable uvrE-/recL- merozygotes. The recL152 as well as the uvrE502 mutation is lethal for the strains deficient in DNA polymerase I. Both recL- and uvrE- mutations reduce in the recB-C- sbcB- strains the probability of inheritance of the proximal non-selective donor markers as well as selective markers located close to the leading end of the donor chromosome. The former effect however could not be completely due to the latter.